“To walk quietly in the grey areas, to do the things that must be done, and to embrace pragmatism in order to save idealism.”

Since its formation, Starfleet has reached out into every quadrant of the galaxy with an idealistic mandate to explore strange new works, to seek out new lives and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before. Unfortunately, reality has not always matched the vision. There have been crises and wars, catastrophes and massacres, times when the definitions of right and wrong have been tested.

As the 2380’s draw to a close, tension on every frontier stands to test the Federation’s resolve. Emboldened after years rebuilding its strength, the Cardassian Union has begun to flex its muscles, invading the Breen Confederacy and continuing its push into the Gavarian Corridor. In response, its neighbors have mobilized, threatening a decade of peace along the Federation’s Alpha Quadrant border. Meanwhile in the Beta Quadrant, aggression from the Klingon Empire has reached a new high, the Gorn Hegemony has invaded and annexed a portion of the Canterra sector, and the Romulan Empire, still in seclusion following the Hobus disaster, appears to be moving again in the shadows. Even at home, conspiracy threatens to rock the core of Starfleet.

It is out of this darkness that the Intelligence Support Activity draws its mandates. Based off the USS Bellona, the benignly named unit has one purpose: to walk quietly in the grey areas, to do the things that must be done, and to embrace pragmatism in order to save idealism.

The USS Bellona is a collaborative narrative, often called a “simm”, telling the story of an intelligence outfit, the Intelligence Support Activity, operating within the expanded Star Trek universe of Bravo Fleet.

Our story is set in the year 2388, thirteen years after the end of the Dominion War and a year after the Romulan homeworld was destroyed by the Hobus hypernova. For more information about the general setting, check out the Bravo Fleet Infobase.

The men and women who serve on the USS Bellona and make up the Intelligence Support Activity hail from a wide range of backgrounds, serving in Starfleet Operation, Intelligence and the marine corps, as well as Federation postings like the Daystrom Institute and the Diplomatic Corps.

The USS Bellona is an Insignia-class starship, a modular space frame in this case specifically outfitted for the Intelligence Support Activity’s mandate with specialized sensors, weapons, training facilities, interrogation and holding cells, research facilities, etc., at the expense of some basic amenities.

It had been a busy day for sure. Sixteen hours ago, they’d just been starting the interrogation of the Mind Burner. Since then, Commander Lewis had been incapacitated by a black ops hit squad, stormed into Starbase 141’s Command and Control Center, debriefed his operators, blackmailed a Commodore, met some new staff, and worked a […]

Alex had seen in the transfer list there was another Marine onboard, finally! Sure there were a few in the TACOPS teams, but he’d been the only one in a senior position, well technically two since he was also Chief of the Boat, but so far no one had come to him with any problems […]

Renota lounged on the couch in her quarters, tucked away on deck three it right between the bridge and the TACOPS facilities. The large screen across from her was streaming the latest readiness reports for the ship. In her hands was a large tablet with the personnel files for her team. She had scheduled a […]

Jenni had just started to stir when the internal comm system chimed. “Bridge to Lieutenant Matthews.” “What?” she muttered, rolling over to check the time on the chronometer beside the bed. She’d just gone to bed three hours before, just after her team had completed the overhaul to the EPS grid on Decks Eight through […]

[Early morning MD 6: USS Trafalgar] So much for arriving earlier than expected! “Hurry up and wait” Kre thought frustrated when he heard the news that Station 141 is on lock down and now the SS Vanguard had to hang back until cleared. He had never spend so much time in the holodeck as he had […]

Garett stepped onto the bridge and his eyes were immediately drawn to the helm. In addition to his role as the air group commander, he’d also be serving as a CONN officer. His eyes still on the CONN, he walked down to the centre of the bridge. “Commander Lewis, Lieutenant Bennett reporting in,” he said handing […]

Immediately after his conversation with RAdm Stafford at Starfleet Intelligence HQ, Kre arranged to contact Commander Lewis. While he waited for the communications officer to call him, he perused through the background information to familiarize himself with the man who was going to be his new CO. “Commander Kretorg, if you are ready, you can […]

Major Soya stepped onto the bridge to the bridge, seeing a red collared officer with three pips. “Commander Lewis,” she said approaching. Commander Lewis stood on the command island reading a PADD intently. All around him, the capable personnel of the USS Bellona saw to the logistics of taking on supplies, on-boarding personnel, granting shore […]

Lieutenant Bennett had arrived aboard the Bellona as soon as the quarantine was lifted, he had been held in a crew section of the station and was only now finding out about the event that had happened. Two very different stories had been circulating one on the station, one here on the Bellona. The Lieutenant had […]

[Three months ago: Q’uvat el TigH, House of Torath home planet, Klingon Empire] “Kre, look after yourself,” Jessica said as her son drew away from her embrace. At least he was not leaving without her knowing if she would ever see him again. Not that she ever really knew where he was, but somehow this […]